“Saving Planet Earth” Conservation of the Environment For Grades 3-5

1. “Saving Planet Earth”Conservation of the Environment For Grades 3-5 RED 602, Fall 2010 Joseph Smorol

2. Rationale for ‘Big Idea’ • This text set is designed to not only teach children about the environment, but it also intends to promote awareness and action for children to become involved in the conservation of our planet. With the rise of environmental issues like global warming, it is becoming increasingly important for everyone to take action in any way we can to help conserve our environment, and children should both be informed, and pushed to help in any way they can. After all, its their planet too!

3. The Hidden Forest Baker, J. (2000). The hidden forest. Singapore: Greenwillow Books. • Type of Text:Picture Book (3rd Grade) • Gist of Text:This beautifully illustrated story is about Ben’s change of heart about trapping fish as he discovers “the hidden forest” found beneath the water’s surface. • Rationale: This story is great for teaching about oceanic conservation. Although around a third grade reading level, the message can be taught in a fourth or fifth grade classroom. This is a great story to use to talk about the conservation of our seas and issues such as overfishing.

4. The Lorax Dr. Suess.(1971). The Lorax. New York, N.Y.: Random House. • Text Type: Picture Book (3rd…and on) • Gist of Text: This picture book tells a simple story in the rhyming fashion of Dr. Suess, but the message of conserving our environment is perfectly depicted. Once the Onceler realizes the Lorax was right about cutting down all of the trees, it is too late to save the truffula trees…or is it? • Rationale: Although the story is written at a 3rd grade level, its message is timeless. This is a perfect story to teach about the dangers of pollution, the aftermath of human indifference, and the hope for a brighter tomorrow.

5. ‘Red Squirrel Rescue’ Lambeth, E. (2010, Red squirrel rescue.44(10), 18--23. • Text Type: Magazine Article (3rd,4th) • Gist of Text: This easily read and understood article discusses the fight for survival for the red squirrel. It discusses the species history, the problem they are facing, and what the solution is! • Rationale: This article is great because it gives kids a close-up look on the problems one particular species is having, and what can be done to save them! Ranger Rick in general provides great informative articles about animals for kids, but it also points kids towards environmental conservation.

6. Why should I bother about the planet? Meredith, S. (2008). In Chisholm J. (Ed.), Why should I bother about the planet?. London, UK: Usborne Publishing Ltd. • Text Type: Expository Picture Book (4th Grade) • Gist of Text: This nonfiction text is an interesting and fun way to look at prevalent conservation issues such as global warming, energy conservation, recycling, and how to make a difference. • Rationale: This is a great nonfiction text for a fourth grade, or even fifth grade student to learn about the issues we are facing every day in environmental conservation. It also gives great advice on how kids can help conserve and restore our beautiful planet.

7. What If We Do NOTHING: GLOBAL WARMING Morris, N. (2007). What if we do NOTHING?: GLOBAL WARMING. USA: World Almanac Library • Text Type: Expository Picture Book (4th or 5th Grade) • Gist of Text: This text explains the threat of global warming in great detail, and it also provides ways which we can work to counter it. • Rationale:  Although this text uses pictures, I would only use this text with a fifth grade classroom, or possibly a heavily scaffolded fourth grade classroom. This text really delves into the heart of the issues of global warming, and provides facts, charts, and pictures to support their understanding.

8. Island of the Blue Dolphins O'Dell, S. (1988). Island of the blue dolphins. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. • Text Type: Narrative (4th grade) • Gist of Text: Life as Wonapalei knows it, is about to change forever when men seeking the spoils of her island, especially the otter’s furs, come to the island of the blue dolphins. • Rationale: This text is great to teach about the conservation practices of Native Americans, and how easily something which was once so beautiful can be changed and scarred by the hands of men. Although this is of a fourth grade reading level, I think this would be a conceptually interesting book for a struggling older reader.

9. The Talking Earth George, J. C. (1983). The talking earth. New York, N.Y.: Harper & Row. • Text Type: Narrative (5th Grade) • Gist of Text: Billie Wind, a young Seminole Indian, learns that one day the earth may be too polluted for us to live in. In order to better understand nature and her people, she ventures into the wilderness to learn that through the animals’ messages, the earth can be saved. • Rationale: Jean Craighead George is a great children’s lit author, who focuses primarily on nature and conservation themed narratives. This is a great 5th grade novel to talk about themes such as pollution and environmental conservation. This is a beautifully told story with a great message.

10. Fern Gully: The Last Rainforest Cort, W. R. (Producer), & Kroyer, B. (Director). (1992). Fern gully: The last rainforest. [Motion Picture] USA: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. • Text Type: Film (3rd-5th) • Gist of Text: As Hexxus threatens to destroy the rainforest, Zak must help the sprites and other woodland creatures stop him, before it is too late! • Rationale: This is an excellent film that elementary children of all ages will enjoy, about the conservation of our rainforests and the destructive force of the logging industry. I think the message will be more easily understood by 4th or fifth graders, but I think you could easily scaffold this with the use of another text for a 3rd grade classroom.

11. Happy Feet Berman, B., & Burke, G. (Producers), & Miller, G., Coleman, W. and Morris, J. (Directors). (2006). Happy feet. [Motion Picture] USA: Village Roadshow Entertainment. • Text Type: Film (3rd-5th) • Gist of Text: Mumble, an emperor penguin, and his group of misfit friends, set out to find ‘the aliens’ responsible for the machine which is ruining their habitat. • Rationale: This text is a fun way to introduce a heavy topic such as the overfishing of our oceans. I think that this movie provides a lot of information about animals and conservation of their environments, which might be something completely new to a 3rd or 4th grader. I think that the movie should be a precursor to a larger discussion about conservation issues such as overfishing.

12. Earth’s Kids: Kids can…Protect the Environment! Earth's kids: Kids can... protect the environment! (1999). Retrieved November 06, 2010, from http://www.earthskids.com/change-save_earth.htm • Text Type: Interactive Website (4th or 5th) • Gist of Text: This website is a resource for children to learn about how they can contribute to the conservation of our planet. It provides information, books, and links to other cites that promote environmental conservation. • Rationale: This is a great way for children to take charge of their own learning about environmental conservation. This site provides them with useful information, and points in the direction of countless other useful resources on this topic. I think that learners of all kinds would find a site like this beneficial, and it also promotes social action!